My recipes and inspiration, from my hometown of Chicago to my favorite places to visit. I love to cook and eat in season, so most of my recipes and meals are affordable. I've combined a love of good food and some serious couponing skills to make meals that are restaurant worthy while spending less.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Rotini Pasta with Rosemary and Sweet Peppers

Perfect summer pasta - light, flavorful, full of veggies, with a simple and flavorful sauce. This comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta and is a great side dish or an entree. It works well with chicken or and bold, grilled meat.

With all the veggies in season, this recipe has endless variation possibilities.

Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Add onion and rosemary and sautee until translucent - over a medium-low heat.Mince bell peppers and garlic and add to onions, season with salt and pepper, then cook until peppers are tender.Add in white wine to deglaze the pan.Melt cream cheese into sautee veggies and add parmesan.Add 1/3 C. of the pasta water, whisk until combined and sauce slightly thickens.Add in pasta, toss to coat well, and top with parsley.

Yields = 3-4 servingsCost: $1.70Cost per serving: $.57

Variation ideas:1. Fold in 2-3 T. Dijon mustard along with the cream cheese for a robust flavor.2. Swap out one of the peppers for sugar snap peas.3. Add in cremini mushrooms (quartered or steak sliced) along with the onions.4. Fold in 1/4 C. thin sliced spinach or fresh basil after sauce has thickened.5. Add in 1/4 C. shredded mozzarella as a topping or stir in after adding pasta.6. Add 1/2 C. shredded carrot when sauteeing the peppers.7. Top pasta with grilled chicken strips or grilled shrimp skewers.

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All the recipes listed here are my originals, except where otherwise stated. Feel free to use my recipes, but if please do not reproduce them without giving credit to their author, namely me.If any recipes here are not my originals, I have credited their author, publication house, magazine, etc.Thank you and happy eating.

About Me

Hi, I'm Annie - a 30-something, Chicagoland almost-foodie that loves spending less, but I'm big on flavor.
I started this blog to catalog my recipes and make it easier to share my favorite eats and treats.
I try to make recipes that are easily affordable, but make no mistake, I want full flavor on a tight budget.